Petunia plant named ‘Flortunbluve’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Petunia  plant named ‘Flortunbluve’, characterized by its light violet-colored flowers having dark violet-colored venation, medium green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, compact, semi-upright growth habit, is disclosed.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Petunia×hybrida .

Variety denomination: ‘Flortunbluve’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant botanically known as Petunia×hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Flortunbluve’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in Quedlinburg, Germany during August 2007. The objective of the breeding program was the development of Petunia cultivars with single-type flowers, unique flower coloration and patterns, and compact, semi-upright growth habit.

The new Petunia cultivar is the result of cross-pollination. The female (seed) parent of the new cultivar is the proprietary Petunia×hybrida breeding selection coded 8173-1, not patented, characterized by its white-colored flowers having medium violet-colored venation, medium green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, semi-upright growth habit. The male (pollen) parent of the new cultivar is the proprietary Petunia×hybrida breeding selection coded 3422-1, not patented, characterized by its white-colored flowers having medium violet-colored venation, medium green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, semi-upright growth habit. The new cultivar was discovered and selected as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the above stated cross-pollination during August 2008 in a controlled environment in Quedlinburg, Germany.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings since August 2008 in Quedlinburg, Germany; Arroyo Grande, Calif.; and West Chicago, Ill. has demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all of the characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedly observed and can be used to distinguish ‘Flortunbluve’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant:

-   -   1. Light violet-colored flowers having dark violet-colored         venation;     -   2. Medium green-colored foliage; and     -   3. Moderately vigorous, compact, semi-upright growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the female and male parents primarily in intensity of flower venation color.

Of the many commercially available Petunia cultivars, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar is POTUNIA Piccola Blue Ice ‘Duepotpiblic’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,810. However, in side by side comparisons, plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of ‘Duepotpiblic’ in at least the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar have larger leaves than plants of         ‘Duepotpiblic’; and     -   2. Plants of the new cultivar have a larger corolla diameter         than plants of ‘Duepotpiblic’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typical flower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in the photographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed description, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Flortunbluve’. The plants were grown in 4-inch pots for 4 weeks in a greenhouse in West Chicago, Ill.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habit of ‘Flortunbluve’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an individual flower of ‘Flortunbluve’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature, light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, 2007 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significance are used. The color values were determined in April 2015 under natural light conditions in West Chicago, Ill.

The following descriptions and measurements describe plants produced from cuttings from stock plants and grown in a glass-covered greenhouse under conditions comparable to those used in commercial practice. The plants were grown in West Chicago, Ill. in 4-inch pots for 5 weeks utilizing a soilless growth medium. Greenhouse temperatures were maintained at approximately 66° F. to 70° F. (19° C. to 21° C.) during the day and approximately 58° F. to 62° F. (14° C. to 17° C.) during the night. Greenhouse light levels of 2,500 footcandles to 6,000 footcandles were maintained during the day. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plants.

-   Botanical classification: Petunia×hybrida cultivar Flortunbluve. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary Petunia×hybrida breeding             selection coded 8173-1, not patented.         -   Male parent.—Proprietary Petunia×hybrida breeding selection             coded 3422-1, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem.         -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 6 to 9 days.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 21 to 28             days.         -   Root description.—Fibrous.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Commercial crop time.—Approximately 5 to 7 weeks from a             rooted cutting to finish in a 10 cm pot.         -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Moderately vigorous,             compact, semi-upright.         -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:             Approximately 16.0 cm. Width: Approximately 55.0 cm.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching, pinching improves basal             branching. Quantity of main branches per plant:             Approximately 3.         -   Branch.—Strength: Moderate. Length: Approximately 24.0 cm.             Diameter: Approximately 5.0 mm. Length of central internode:             Approximately 2.5 cm. Texture: Densely glandular pubescent             with a mixture of long and short hairs. Gland color:             Colorless. Color of young and mature stems: 144A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   General description.—Quantity of leaves per main branch:             Approximately 14. Fragrance: Slight. Form: Simple.             Arrangement on flowering stem: Opposite.         -   Leaves.—Aspect: Acute angle to stem. Shape: Ovate to             elliptic. Margin: Entire. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate.             Venation pattern: Pinnate. Length of mature leaf:             Approximately 6.2 cm. Width of mature leaf: Approximately             5.7 cm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces: Sparsely             glandular pubescent. Gland color: Colorless. Color of upper             surface of young and mature foliage: 137A with venation of             146D to indistinguishable. Color of lower surface of young             and mature foliage: Closest to 138B with venation of 146D to             indistinguishable.         -   Petiole.—Length: Approximately 2.0 mm. Width: Approximately             4.0 mm. Texture: Sparsely glandular pubescent with a mixture             of long and short hairs. Gland color: Colorless. Color:             146D. -   Flowering description:     -   -   Flowering habit.—‘Flortunbluve’ is freely flowering under             outdoor growing conditions with substantially continuous             blooming from spring through autumn and year-round in             greenhouse environment.         -   Lastingness of individual flower on the plant.—Approximately             10 to 12 days. -   Flower description:     -   -   General description.—Type: Simple, salverform. Quantity per             plant: Approximately 11. Fragrance: None detected.         -   Bud.—Rate of opening: Generally takes 2 to 3 days for bud to             progress from first color to fully open flower. Quantity per             plant: Approximately 10.         -   Bud just before opening.—Shape: Oblong. Length:             Approximately 3.7 cm. Diameter at apex: Approximately             7.0 mm. Diameter at base: Approximately 2.0 mm. Texture:             Densely glandular pubescent with a mixture of long and short             hairs. Gland color: Colorless. Color of petals: 145D with             venation of N77A. Color of tube: 145B with venation of N77A.         -   Corolla.—Diameter: Approximately 6.7 cm.         -   Petals.—Quantity: 5, fused to form a tube. Shape: Obovate.             Appearance: Dull. Margin: Entire, slightly wavy. Apex:             Acute. Length from tube: Approximately 3.4 to 3.5 cm. Length             of free portion: Approximately 1.3 cm. Width: Approximately             3.4 cm. Texture of upper surface: Glabrous. Texture of lower             surface: Sparsely glandular pubescent. Gland color:             Colorless. Color of upper surface when first open: 85A with             heavy venation of close to 86A. Color of lower surface when             first open: 85C to 85D with venation of 86B and midveins of             N77A. Color of upper surface when fully open: 85A to 85B             with heavy venation of close to 86A. Color of lower surface             when fully open: 85C to 85D with venation of 86B to 86C and             midveins of N77A.         -   Corolla tube.—Length: Approximately 3.0 cm. Diameter at             distal end: Approximately 1.0 cm. Diameter at proximal end:             Approximately 3.0 mm. Texture of inner surface: Glabrous.             Texture of outer surface: Densely glandular pubescent with a             mixture of long and short hairs. Gland color: Colorless.             Color of inner surface: 85A to 85B with venation of close to             86A and N186A. Color of outer surface: 79D with venation of             N77A.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: 5, fused at base. Shape:             Linear. Apex: Acute. Length: Approximately 1.8 cm. Width:             Approximately 5.0 mm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces:             Densely glandular pubescent. Gland color: Colorless. Color             of upper surface: 137A. Color of lower surface: 137B             transitioning to 144B at base.         -   Peduncle.—Strength: Strong, flexible. Aspect: Acute angle to             stem. Length: Approximately 3.5 cm. Diameter: Approximately             2.0 mm. Texture: Densely glandular pubescent with a mixture             of long and short hairs. Gland color: Colorless. Color: 144A             often tinted with 187B from sun.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity: 5,             basifixed. Stamen length: Approximately 2.3 cm. Filament             length of fixed portion: Approximately 9.0 mm. Filament             color: NN155A. Anther shape: Bilobed. Anther length:             Approximately 1.0 mm. Anther color: 161D. Pollen amount:             Moderate. Pollen color: 155D. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity: 1             per flower. Pistil length: Approximately 2.4 cm. Stigma             shape: Funnel. Stigma length: Approximately 1.0 mm. Stigma             color: 146A with funnel portion of 79C. Style length:             Approximately 1.9 cm. Style color: 145C. Ovary length:             Approximately 4.0 mm. Ovary color: 144B. -   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has     been observed. -   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests     common to Petunia has not been observed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant named ‘Flortunbluve’, substantially as herein illustrated and described. 